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Friday, November 29, 2013

Cartoons: Black Thursday

Thanksgiving is the new Black Friday.  See below.

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image:  cartoon by Paul Combs, "Let The Shopping Insanity Begin!"
Paul Combs, US News
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image:  cartoon by Scott Stantis, only one at the Thanksgiving table
Scott Stantis, US News
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image:  cartoon by Drew Sheneman, "Open Thanksgiving Day!!!"
Drew Sheneman, US News
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image:  cartoon by Chan Lowe, "Happy Thanksgiving Thursday!"
Chan Lowe, US News
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There's an article by Kevin Roose giving "5 Black Friday Shopping Myths" with the photo below. (Not everyone agrees with him, so take a look at the comments.)
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image:  photo of Black Thursday/Friday crowd at Macy's
Daily Intelligencer, Black Thursday/Friday crowd at Macy's
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-- Marge


Wednesday, November 27, 2013

DIY: building an emotional robot

Using the word combination emotional robot is, according to our perceptions of robot behavior, an oxymoron.  Usually they are portrayed and viewed as unemotional data-crunchers. Most of the robots currently being shown by AI (artificial intelligence) development labs feature calculated responsiveness.  Personally I doubt that robots, as we know them today, can be truly emotional, since emotions spring from a subjective, conscious response to stimuli.  There has to be a beating heart in there somewhere (vertebrates vs invertebrates).  Check out the Wikipedia article "emotion in animals" for an illuminating discussion.

However, this all could change.  Scientists are working to produce robots capable of self-generated artificial intelligence.  Some thoughts on 'artificial' emotions can be found at the Nautilus site.  Tested.com features an article title "Emotions Reconsidered: How Robots May Experience Feelings." J.Kevin O'Regan has posted online his talk given at CogSys 2010 and titled "How to build a robot that feels" in which he presents a feet-on-the-ground discussion of consciousness and perception.

Current technology is certainly intriguing -- meet Nao.
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The news has featured Actroids developed by Osaka University and manufactured by Kokoro Company Ltd.  Actroid-F is shown below.
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Watching the video above, you get an idea of how much technological know-how it take to produce such a robot.

And, of course, there's Data from Star Trek Next Generation (Star Trek TNG, CBS Studios).
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-- Marge


Monday, November 25, 2013

Bake fail equivalent

A bake fail in Second Life may seem trivial but it could be where we're headed in real life -- a point where what we know as real no longer resolves into what we see as real and vice versa. 

The term being applied to this moment is technological singularity and it seems to be fast approaching:
The technological singularity, or simply the singularity, is a theoretical moment in time when artificial intelligence will have progressed to the point of a greater-than-human intelligence, radically changing civilization, and perhaps human nature. Since the capabilities of such an intelligence may be difficult for a human to comprehend, the technological singularity is often seen as an occurrence (akin to a gravitational singularity) beyond which the future course of human history is unpredictable or even unfathomable.

Mathematician John von Neumann (1903-1957) may have said it best.  He was the first to postulate singularity, calling it accelerating change. Stanislaw Ulam reports:
One conversation centered on the ever accelerating progress of technology and changes in the mode of human life, which gives the appearance of approaching some essential singularity in the history of the race beyond which human affairs, as we know them, could not continue.

Ray Kurzweil -- author, inventor, futurist, a director of engineering at Google, and another supporter of the singularity theory -- wrote the book The Singularity Is Near, which is part fiction, part non-fiction.  In it he interviews 20 big thinkers like Marvin Minsky.

So far the references have been artificial intelligence and software, but hardware is also fast approaching a point of singularity, as exhibited by Moore's Law.
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image: graph, "Microprocessor Transistor Counts 1971-2011 & Moore's Law"
Benzirpi, Microprocessor Transistor Counts & Moore's Law, Wikipedia
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Concerns about society being overwhelmed by rampant artificial intelligence (think SkyNet) are being addressed by such organizations as the Machine Intelligence Research Institute (MIRI).

Personally, I wonder if our effectively living in virtual worlds, such as Second Life or your favorite MMORPG, is really preparing us for a completely virtual life.  Others are looking at the possibility, too.  Futurist Thomas Frey asks "Are We Destined to Merge With Our Avatars?"  And columnist James Wagner Au reports in New World Notes, "Scientists Testing to See if First Life is Really Second Life."  He, in turn is quoting an article in the Huffington Post:
The theory basically goes that any civilisation which could evolve to a 'post-human' stage would almost certainly learn to run simulations on the scale of a universe. And that given the size of reality - billions of worlds, around billions of suns - it is fairly likely that if this is possible, it has already happened.
Which in turn reminds me of the old, old theory, jokingly made, that our world is only a molecule in a frying pan.
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image: Mike's poster on the Technological Singularity
Mike, Technological Singularity, demotivationalposters.net
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-- Marge


Friday, November 22, 2013

Humor: Stock market drama

On Monday, the "Dow Jones industrial average topped 16,000 for the first time ever" reported CNN Money. Considering how the stock market affected the world economy in 2008, I'm not impressed, neither is Jack Ohman:
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image: cartoon by Jack Ohman about the NYSE vs unemployment
Jack Ohman, NYSE vs Unemployment, US News
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As Will Rogers said in December, 1929 (more quotes are here) --
I tell 'em that this Country is bigger than Wall Street, and if they don't believe it, I show 'em the map.
Seems to me, Republicans and Wall Street go hand in hand.  For a zany alternate view of Republicanism, take a look a College Humor's video, "The Mad (Republican) Tea Party:"
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In his radio broadcast in 1931, "Bacon and Beans and Limousines," Will Rogers noted,
So here we are in a country with more wheat and more corn and more money in the bank, more cotton, more everything in the world—there’s not a product that you can name that we haven't got more of it than any other country ever had on the face of the earth—and yet we’ve got people starving. We'll hold the distinction of being the only nation in the history of the world that ever went to the poor house in an automobile. The potter's fields are lined with granaries full of grain. Now if there ain't something cockeyed in an arrangement like that then this microphone here in front of me is—well, it's a cuspidor, that's all.
In closing, here's one from About.com's Political Humor:
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BTW, there's a handsome book about Will Rogers, titled The Quotable Will Rogers, by Joseph H. Carter at Google Books. You can buy a copy if you like.

-- Marge


Wednesday, November 20, 2013

DIY: give someone you love a thimble

For crafters and DIYers Christmas is fast approaching.   Consider a gift with a message that's a simple (and inexpensive) project from CountryLiving -- a thimble necklace.
An inexpensive score at flea markets and on Etsy—usually less than $5—a vintage thimble can become a playful pendant in no time. Just use a small hammer and a two-penny nail to punch a tiny hole in the center of the thimble's top. Insert a flat head pin through the hole from the inside, so the pin's head remains inside the thimble. Twist the pin's exposed wire into a closed loop with needle-nose pliers, then use the pliers to attach a 6-mm jump ring to the loop.
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image: photo of model wearing thimble necklace
Thimble Necklace, CountryLiving
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So, what are you saying when you're giving someone a thimble? It depends on what background story you have in mind (and perhaps you should relay that info to the recipient).  Some of the symbolic references are...

Peter Pan. When Wendy wanted to give Peter Pan a kiss he held out his hand, thinking he would receive a material thing. So she gave him the thimble she was wearing and called it a kiss.
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image: poster of Peter Pan movie, 2003, released by Universal Studios
Universal Studios, Peter Pan, 2003
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Shakespeare.  According to an article by Stephanie Appleton in the Finding Shakespeare series, "Shakespeare’s World in 100 Objects,"
In his 1596 play, The Life and Death of King John, Shakespeare makes reference to the thimble as a symbol of female domesticity...
Colonial America.  In the article, "Engagement Ring Symbolism through the Ages," marc posts:
During the Colonial period in America, all forms of jewelry were prohibited due to Puritanical restrictions and the apparent moral degradation of such jewelry items.  Women were offered a thimble to symbolize the conjugal union, although it wasn’t uncommon for women to remove the top of the thimble to form a type of ring.
Dreams. (These references are a bit far-fetched, but interesting.)  A number of sites that offer dream interpretations show ones for dreaming about a thimble.  Every interpretation is different, so I'll just list the pages on the sites:  Dream Moods, Dream Symbols, experience project.

If you decide you'd rather buy a thimble necklace or charm, there's a fine selection at Etsy.

-- Marge

In his 1596 play, The Life and Death of King John, Shakespeare makes reference to the thimble as a symbol of female domesticity - See more at: http://findingshakespeare.co.uk/shakespeares-world-in-100-objects-number-21-a-thimble#sthash.bYs7o8Y1.dpuf

Monday, November 18, 2013

This trek began with ragdoll physics

Lately I've been working on learning animation with the intent of creating characters and a story -- there's a lot to learn.  And since storyboarding can help a lot with story development, I'm looking at that too.  Let me tell you, storyboard artists have a lot to consider when producing storyboards; just one area is camera techniques.

There are many types of animation. Check Wikipedia's animation article for some good information on 3D, 2D, computer, stop motion, and such.  While looking at the "types of animation" results, I came across the term 'ragdoll physics' -- who can pass up checking out a term like that? But that's just one step in my trek.

From there I moved on to cartoon physics and hammerspace.
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Not sure who this Greg Williams guy is, I did a little searching.  He used to work for the Tampa Tribune as a cartoonist. There's a Q&A featuring him at Mac Slocum's site. Among his latest projects is Twips.  One of them is below.
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Greg Williams, @owlcity, Twipcomics 
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An archive of Greg's work is here.

-- Marge


Friday, November 15, 2013

Humor: Black Friday is coming...

Like winter in Game of Thrones, Black Friday is coming. Have you noticed that retailers are advertising Black Friday as if it's a cultural event? Or is it just my retail-phobia kicking in?  Cartoonists have fun with the sales event every year; meme-makers add to the mix.  Here are some new takes, or takes that seem new to me, on the topic. 

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image: cartoon by Marshall Ramsey, Black Friday Deals Today
Marshall Ramsey, Black Friday Deals Today, Creators Syndicate
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image: meme by pumptime, Black Friday Is Coming
pumptime, Black Friday Is Coming, Cheezburger
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image: cartoon by David Fitzsimmons, Black Friday Ops
David Fitzsimmons, Black Friday Ops, Cagle
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image: meme by Tchothcky, Not Sure If Looting
Tchothcky, Not Sure If Looting, Cheezburger
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image: cartoon by Adam Zyglis, Walmart
Adam Zyglis, Walmart, AAEC
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Marcy Bonebright has published a collection of Black Friday memes, titled "Let Internet Memes Explain Why Shopping In-Store on Black Friday Is a #FAIL," at DealNews.  Competition does have benefits.

-- Marge


Wednesday, November 13, 2013

DIY: junk CD magic

I love the shifting, rainbow colors of CDs and DVDs.  You can capture these effects in some of the projects below, all except the mixed media CD clock (it has a beauty of its own).

The mosaic tiles in the birdbath below are shards of an old CD.  Debbie gives full instructions on her blog, me and my diy.  She does a very thorough job.  Seems to me this project could be adapted to a decorative platter by using an old plate.  The direct link to her instructions is is the picture's caption.
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image:  birdbath made by Debbie
Debbie's birdbath, me and my diy
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Instructions for the disco ball below can be found at wikiHow.  You may be saying, "sure...what do I do with a disco ball?"  I can see a group of them in different sizes hanging by a window where they catch and reflect light.
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image:  disco ball found at wikiHow
Disco ball, wikiHow
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Mixed media artist Cyndi gives instructions for making the CD clock below on her blog, Mixed Media Artist.  Her site has a wealth of information for artists and do-it-yourselfers who like to work with found objects/materials.
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image: diy project by Cyndi, "CD Clock"
Cyndi, "CD Clock," Mixed Media Artist
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The work below -- a sculpture by Sean Avery -- is an example of what you can do with old CDs.  No instructions are available.
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image:  sculpture by Sean Avery
Sean Avery, sculpture, BuzzFeed
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For more ideas on finding new uses for old CDs and DVDs, take a look at Earth911's "10 Reuse Ideas for CDs and DVDs," Squidoo's "How to Reuse Old CD or DVD," and BuzzFeed's "18 Cool DIY Ways To Use Your Old CDs."

If you've been wondering how DVDs and CDs work, here's an article at HowStuffWorks. Another article there answers the question, "Why do CDs reflect rainbow colors?"

-- Marge


Monday, November 11, 2013

Veteran's Day, 2013

To honor the brave men and women who served to protect our country here are two outstanding images.
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image:  photo by JimboJones2456, "VeteransDay"
JimboJones2456, "VeteransDay," DeviantART

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image: painting by koopastar, "A Soldier's Anguish"
koopastar, "A Soldier's Anguish," deviantART

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A collection of images related to Veteran's Day can be found at YouTheDesigner's Tribute to Our Unsung Heroes.

Our returning veterans have a hard time adjusting to 'normal' daily life.  Seems to me a large part of it is the loss of camaraderie and of the sense of purpose military service gives.  Team Rubicon offers a renewed sense of purpose.  A PBS article, Coming Home, links to a wealth of resources for the returning soldier, some of them governmental, some of them not.

A crisis line is available.

Soldier, you are remembered and valued.

-- Marge

Friday, November 08, 2013

Friday cartoons: Tea Party, Me Party

The government shutdown may be over, but I'm still stinging from it.  Seeing the Tea Party members of the US Congress gloat about having shutdown the government was pretty ugly.  Who knew they would interpret their mission of less government as no government?  Thing is, their extreme tactics are taking down the Republicans (who don't need any help alienating us ordinary folk) as well.

Here are some ideas about the Tea Party in the form of cartoons for you to consider.
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image: cartoon by Drew Sheneman, "That Was Awesome"
Drew Sheneman, "That Was Awesome," USNews
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image: cartoon by Drew Sheneman about the Boston Tea Party
Drew Sheneman, Boston Tea Party, USNews
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image: cartoon by Mike Luckovich, "Bad Fit"
Mike Luckovich, "Bad Fit," theWeek
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image: cartoon by Chan Lowe, "Shutdown"
Chan Lowe, "Shutdown," USNews
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Mike Keefe's cartoon below addresses what's been on my mind lately...
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image: cartoon by Mike Keefe, "Home Grown Terror"
Mike Keefe, "Home Grown Terror," theWeek
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-- Marge


Wednesday, November 06, 2013

DIY: making prints with linoleum

Printmaking is messy business, but the results can be satisfying and visually arresting, depending on the paper and carving technique you use.  All printmaking is indirect, meaning that you do the artwork on a piece of wood, linoleum, stone, metal plate, or such, then transfer it to paper.  Best of all, you don't need a press to transfer the linoleum print (or a woodblock print), but can use the back of a spoon, a brayer, or press the block down on the paper. Throughout this post are samples of linoleum prints (aka linocuts).
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image: A linocut by Redbud505
A linocut by Redbud505, Keyword Pictures
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When transferring your artwork to paper, it's important to use the right ink.  If the ink is too thin or watery it will flow into the recesses of the design and transfer poorly, if at all.  Speedball is an established and well-respected brand in printing supplies and gives some good information.
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image: linocut by Jeff Moriber, "Coney Island Dreams"
Jeff Moriber, "Coney Island Dreams"
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There are some really good how-to articles online about making linocuts.  At Make, take a looks at "Linocuts 101." 
image: linocut by Michael Roman, "Rolleicord"
Michael Roman, "Rolleicord"

image: linocut by Michelle Han, "Brownstone Bloom"
Michelle Han, "Brownstone Bloom"

Monday, November 04, 2013

Einstein' spooky action

This proven phenomenon, now known as quantum entanglement, was called "spooky action at a distance" by Einstein. He was very uncomfortable with the idea, as reported in the Nova video below (it's a little long but well worth the time):
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Einstein and Niels Bohr were often on opposite sides of a given theory. Thankfully, they made their disputes public in the Bohr-Einstein debates.  Einstein's discomfort with quantum entanglement prompted him to publish a paper in collaboration with two other physicists, known as the Einstein-Podolsky-Rosen Paradox.  In the paper they considered measurement of two entangled particles in light of Heisenberg's uncertainty principle and concluded  that quantum mechanics was incomplete since, in its formalism, there was no space for hidden parameters.  As stated in the Wikipedia article:
According to EPR there were two possible explanations. Either there was some interaction between the particles, even though they were separated, or the information about the outcome of all possible measurements was already present in both particles.

Years later, physicist John Stewart Bell presented a paper that essentially drew a line in the sand between quantum mechanics and classical theory.  Bell's theorem states
No physical theory of local hidden variables can ever reproduce all of the predictions of quantum mechanics.
Current scientific activity studying quantum entanglement presents some interesting ideas and possible explanations, such as "Einstein's 'spooky action' common in large quantum systems, mathematicians find," "Imaging Quantum Entanglement," and "Quantum Experiment Shows How Time ‘Emerges’ from Entanglement." This last article was found at The Physics arXiv Blog, "An alternative view of the best new ideas in science."

In this video, theoretical physicist Michio Kaku answers Matthew's question, "Could quantum entanglement be used to transmit information instantaneously between interplanetary spaceships?" 
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For some background in quantum mechanics, take a look at this excellent piece.
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And for a simpler explanation of quantum entanglement, try this link to simple.wikipedia.org.

-- Marge

Friday, November 01, 2013

Cartoons and more: Government Waste

While we all joke about the snafu (military slang) that is Obamacare signup, it is an excellent example of how the Federal government works at present. This article at TIME Magazine offers an explanation of what was going on behind the scenes, "Traffic Didn’t Crash the Obamacare Site Alone. Bad Coding Did Too."
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image: cartoon by Scott Stantis, "How The Glitch Stole Healthcare"
Scott Stantis, "How The Glitch Stole Healthcare," USNews
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The site Outside the Beltway has an article titled "Is Government Inefficient?" with the cartoon shown below.  Here is an observation from the article:
While some federal agencies have made good-faith attempts to become more efficient, most still carry the dead weight of unnecessary overhead, outmoded business processes, infrastructure that is no longer aligned to their mission, and underperforming organizational structures.
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image: cartoon by David Horsey, "The Federal Bureaucracy"
David Horsey, "The Federal Bureaucracy," OutsideTheBeltway
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One of the current problems is that the Fed uses a lot of contractors (aka outsourcing) with little coordination and oversight.  The article "Outsourced Government: Have We Gone Too Far?" discusses this.  During the Clinton administration, also that of G.W. Bush, attempts was made to 'reinvent government' (Wikipedia), but they fell by the wayside, as analyzed in this lessons-learned paper.  According to Wikipedia's NPR (National Partnership for Reinventing Government) article: "It was the eleventh federal reform effort in the 20th century."
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image: cartoon by Paul Noth, "We Don't Need to Reinvent theWheel..."
Paul Noth, "We Don't Need to Reinvent theWheel...," New Yorker
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In the case of government reform, reinventing the wheel may be needed.  If you feel something should be done, take a look at Citizens Against Government Waste.  The movement addresses more than government spending.

As for the dyfunction of the Obamacare site, some are suggesting that the NSA can help.
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image: cartoon by Jack Ohman about the NSA helping with the Obamacare site
Jack Ohman, Obamacare-NSA, USNews
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-- Marge